Ocala approves funds for airport tower design

Published: Tuesday, April 15, 2008 at 8:45 p.m.

Last Modified: Tuesday, April 15, 2008 at 8:48 p.m.

OCALA – Designs for an air traffic control tower at Ocala International Airport are officially underway after the Ocala City Council approved a matching grant to fund the project, at Tuesday night's meeting.

The hope is that an air traffic control tower will draw larger aircraft to the airport, providing an economic boost to both the airport and local industry. For roughly three years the city has been working to obtain funding and begin construction. But as the first to go through the Federal Aviation Association's new site approval process, it took nearly nine months to obtain approval for the proposed tower location, said Matt Grow, airport director for the city. The city finally received FAA go-ahead in February, and the council's approval marks a step forward in city leaders' goal of turning the airport complex into an economic hub.

The design process will take approximately six months and the goal is to have construction complete by August of 2009, said Grow. The tower will be located on the east side of the airport.

Engineering firm Reynolds, Smith & Hill was contracted to the design the structure at a cost of $234,000. The city will contribute approximately $47,000 to the project with the rest funded by the state.

<p>OCALA – Designs for an air traffic control tower at Ocala International Airport are officially underway after the Ocala City Council approved a matching grant to fund the project, at Tuesday night's meeting.</p><p> The hope is that an air traffic control tower will draw larger aircraft to the airport, providing an economic boost to both the airport and local industry. For roughly three years the city has been working to obtain funding and begin construction. But as the first to go through the Federal Aviation Association's new site approval process, it took nearly nine months to obtain approval for the proposed tower location, said Matt Grow, airport director for the city. The city finally received FAA go-ahead in February, and the council's approval marks a step forward in city leaders' goal of turning the airport complex into an economic hub.</p><p> The design process will take approximately six months and the goal is to have construction complete by August of 2009, said Grow. The tower will be located on the east side of the airport.</p><p> Engineering firm Reynolds, Smith & Hill was contracted to the design the structure at a cost of $234,000. The city will contribute approximately $47,000 to the project with the rest funded by the state.</p>